MAP04: Autumn Steel (The Box of a Thousand Demons)

MAP04: Autumn Steel is the fourth map of The Box of a Thousand Demons. It was designed by Thelokk and uses the music track "".

Essentials
The map introduces one of the megawad's frequent features - faintly signposted progression. Careful inspection of slight texture changes will be necessary in order to beat the map without guidance.

Grab the super shotgun to your left and the box of shells to the right. Walk into an open area, with an alcove to the north and ledges to the east and west. There will be revenants on each ledge, plus two arch-viles at floor level, the latter accompanied by imps on Hurt me plenty, and demons on Ultra-Violence. Proceed to the alcove to the north, being wary of an arch-vile trap right ahead, and a sizable ambush of cacodemons and arachnotrons behind you in the open area.

Fully entering the alcove triggers a tripwire which raises an additional section of the western ledge in the open area, indicated by a slight texture change - you can ride this additional section as a lift to access the top of the ledge. Move west, once again minding an ambush of pain elementals, then turn north to face a short corridor. Be careful as you traverse the corridor itself, as its ceiling will become crushers, and a few small side alcoves hide ambushing imps and a sole Hell knight. The only path forward is to a single room covered in autumn foliage and lava, once again a trap: once you move past the entrance access will be sealed, and a group of demons, imps and revenants will teleport in. After a short while, a switch will raise from the lava by the east wall: it will allow you to leave the room, as well as granting access to a lift by the main area's eastern ledge, in a similar fashion to the western one you already rode.

Backtrack to the main area, ride the eastern lift, and move forward to a sudden, mandatory pitch black drop. You will fall into a dark room, with damaging floor and a fake teleport just ahead: rushing to the 'teleport' will simply raise it to the ceiling, and warp into the cramped space demons and Hell knights. You have no choice but struggle for survival until a section of the room's eastern wall lowers, revealing a swirling, fleshy pattern. Unload your super shotgun into it, killing the Romero's head behind it and ending the level.

Secrets

 * 1) In the crusher hall, head to the last alcove on the left and press on the back wall to find a box of shotgun shells (a health bonus on Ultra-Violence or higher). (sector 350)

Current records
The records for the map at the Doom Speed Demo Archive are:

The (absence of) data was last verified in its entirety on March 20, 2023.

Player spawns
This level contains four spawn points:
 * 1) facing north. (thing 112)
 * 2) facing east. (thing 113)
 * 3) facing west. (thing 114)
 * 4) facing south. (thing 115)

Things
This level contains the following numbers of things per skill level: